Have a limited print budget and want to make the most of it? Don’t fall into the trap of thinking your options are limited! Even if your dollars are minimal, your impact can be significant. Maximizing your investment does not require a large sum of money. In fact, some of the most important things to begin with cost no money at all. Start with focusing your efforts on the customers most likely to give you the best return, and then go from there. Let’s look at five strategies to help you make the most of your investment.
- Focus on existing customers. Existing customers already know the value you have to offer, that’s why they’re existing customers. It’s probable they may just need a simple reminder, such as a postcard or letter, to give them a reason to re-engage. This does not have to be a complicated and huge endeavor, it simply needs to remind the customer why they chose your business in the first place. If you’re looking to stretch your marketing dollars, start with those already buying from you. There’s no better place to start than with the people who already support your business.
- Identify your most recent customers. Of your existing customers, you are most likely to sell to those who have purchased from you most recently. Maybe they’re loving their purchase and are thinking about other products to buy. Follow up their purchase with a relevant cross-sell or upsell. Give them a reason to be repeat customers instead of one-time buyers. If the thought has already been bouncing around in their mind, it’s likely that simply reaching out can encourage them to come back.
- Identify your top customers. Do you know who your “best” customers are? They may buy from you more or less frequently, but spend more when they do. These are the customers who truly support your business, so it’s important to make them feel valued. Define what your best customer looks like for your business, then create special offers that make them feel like they are more than just a regular consumer.
- Create a copy-cat list. Once you know your best customers, target prospects with a similar profile, either in your current area or in a new market. If you don’t know who your top customers are, now is the time to figure that out. Understanding who your top customers are will go a long way in showing you what you need to focus on. Even a tiny investment in customer profiling can reap significant returns.
- Be relevant. You can only satisfy buyer motivations if you understand what your prospects love and hate—their hearts’ desires and what keeps them awake at night. You must know these things to create a meaningful relationship with them that makes them feel like more than your average customer. Knowing your customers and engaging in sincere dialogue about what they want and why they want it will pay off in repeat sales and quality referrals. If a customer feels like they have a real connection to your business, they will feel as though you understand them on a level beyond what is required.
Print marketing is evolving. Success is no longer based on trying to get a “same to all” message in front of as many people as possible. This practice has long since become obsolete. It’s about marketing smart and marketing relevant and using the tangible, confidence-building medium of print to its maximum advantage. We’re here to help you get started, so let’s do it!
